The Higher Life Connecting with Jesus' Baptism Luke  3:15-17, 21-22 There's a psychiatrist in New York City named John Rosen who works with catatonics. He breaks the precedent of doctors remaining separate and aloof front their patients. He moves into the ward with them. He places his bed among their beds. He lives the life they must live. Day to day, he shares it. He loves them. If they don't talk, he doesn't talk either. It's as if he understands what's happening. He's just there, and that communicates something to them that they haven't heard in years - somebody understands. But then he does something else. He puts his arms around them and hugs them. This M.D., this Ph.D, this highly-skilled, highly-paid physician, who is like God to the patient, who sets the limits on their life, holds these unattractive, unlovable, sometimes incontinent persons, and loves them back into life. Often, when they speak, the first words they say are "thank you." Piercing through all the theological systems and all the ecclesiastical methodology, isn't this what God did through Jesus? * Certainly that is the picture that I get when reading the story of Jesus baptism.  He identifies with the people.  He becomes one of them. He goes into the water with them.  He rises with them to new life.  He shows them what their true life can be, not just tied to their physical limitations but also connected with the Spirit of God.  They are loved by God.  There is the presence of God within them. This act of baptism is a way of connecting with the Spirit and claiming the divine within us.  Experiencing Jesus in this way, we can have the sense of God holding us and loving us back to life. Like a drop of water separating from the source the little mind is unable to create and sustain life. When the drop of water rejoins the ocean it has all the power of it's source. The drop of water separate from it's source symbolizes our ego-self when we are separated from our source of omnipotent power When we realize the connection with the source of all life it is like the experience that Jesus referred to when he said, "On that day, you will know that I am in the Father, and you in me, and I in you" (John 14:20) * When we hear the story of Jesus' Baptism once again, I have the sense that it is not just an historical account of Jesus' baptism but it is our story.  We are there.  It  touches us inwardly. We go into the water with Jesus. We come up out of the water with Jesus into newness of life. The Spirit like a Dove descends on us and connects with our spirit. We hear the words "You are my beloved, in whom I am well pleased."  We know that we are God's beloved. We know that we are God's children and that we have God's life within us. This is actually the story of our lives and therefore has the power to arrest us, encourage us and strengthen us as we leave here today. To realize that we are God's own son or daughter is wonderful and loving affirmation indeed: In his book Craddock Stories, celebrated preacher Fred Craddock tells of an evening when he and his wife were eating dinner in a little restaurant in the Smokey Mountains.  A strange and elderly man came over to their table and introduced himself.  "I am from around these parts," he said.  "My mother was not married, and the shame the community directed toward her was also directed toward me.  Whenever I went to town with my mother, I could see people staring at us, making guesses about who my daddy was.  At school, I ate lunch alone.  In my early teens, I began attending a little church but always left before church was over, because I was afraid somebody would ask me what a boy like me was doing in church.  One day, before I could escape, I felt a hand on my shoulder.  It was the minister.  He looked closely at my face.  I knew that he too was trying to guess who my father was. 'Well, boy, you are a child of. . .' and then he paused.  When he spoke again he said, 'Boy, you are a child of God.  I see a striking resemblance.'  Then he swatted me on the bottom and said, 'Now, you go on and claim your inheritance.'  I left church that day a different person," the now elderly man said.  "In fact, that was the beginning of my life." "What's your name?"  Dr. Craddock asked. He answered, "Ben Hooper.  My name is Ben Hooper."  Dr. Craddock said he vaguely recalled from when he was a kid, his father talking about how the people of Tennessee had twice elected a fellow who had been born out of wedlock as the governor of their state.  His name was Ben Hooper. * I need to connect with the story of Jesus baptism time and time again.  It helps me to reflect on my own baptism and speaks very powerfully to my continual need for new life. Joseph Campbell, who has written so much about myths and metaphors, was asked by a colleague whether symbolism around Easter, such as the bursting forth of flowers, the return of the sun, even eggs and bunnies, were related to a longing that we have. Campbell replied that he thought that it was a longing in all of us to be born anew the way nature is born anew in the Spring. ( Joseph Campbell Thou Art That, transforming religious metaphor, edited by Eugene Kennedy, Ph. D., New World Library, Novato, Calif. USA, 2001 , 0.113) We all have that continual need for new life.  Life is a continuous conversion. In every setting in which we are put we have to "put on the new person." There are whole areas of our lives which have not yet been brought under the influence of our new life, and it can only be done by this continuous conversion. It is dying to our self-centered endeavors and being resurrected into a life marked by grace and love. It includes forgiveness, sharing, joy, vision, courage, perseverance, and especially God-like love which is the heart of the Christ-like life. It is not just living for ourselves but living for others.  It is a higher level of our humanity. There is a wonderful story told by Tony Campolo in his book, Let Me Tell You a Story, (Word Publishing, Nashville, 2000, p,40) entitled He Went Higher: In the Hasidic Jewish tradition there is the story of a rabbi who was so holy that it was rumored that on Sabbath afternoons he ascended into heaven to personally commune with God. One day, a couple of boys from the synagogue decided to follow the rabbi after Sabbath services to see whether he did, indeed, ascend to heaven. What they saw instead was that the rabbi spent the afternoon going to the homes of elderly and sick gentile people. He cooked meals for old ladies and cleaned the houses of old men. On the next Sabbath some of the elders jokingly asked the boys whether the rabbi had really ascended to heaven to commune with God. The boys answered, "Oh, no, he did not ascend into heaven. He went much higher!" Living your life on behalf of others is like going higher. It is basically the life that Jesus lived. It is a life that we are called to through our baptism. * There are so many needs in the world that we can address, needs in our families, workplaces, the community, among our friends, people we meet in everyday situations, and in the world as a whole.  Our work is found where our greatest glory, talents and gifts meet the greatest need known to us wherever that might be at this time. God has given us such a great gift and that is, the gift to "begin again". As we relive once again the baptism of Jesus, it is time to seize this gift.  Today is a time to begin again. You are visitor number UK Online Casinos This free counter  is supplied by Visible Counter Connect with Deacon Sils Homelical resource Also for more sermon and lectionary resources connect to SERMON AND SERMON LECTIONARY RESOURCES   Check Out my daughter's web site CARLY'S STRENGTH THE GODDESS WITHIN MUSIC PROJECT Each year, thousands of women and children become homeless as a result of domestic violence.  "The Goddess Within" music project is designed to empower those whose lives have been affected by domestic abuse and to raise awareness of this issue. "The Goddess Within" compilation album will showcase artists and their songs, written for or relating to those escaping the cycle of violence.  The C.D. will be distributed throughout North America and proceeds from the sale of the C.D. will be donated to women's shelters. More information on the CD is available at ARTISTS FOR CHANGE My daughter Carly is featured on the album with her song The Mask.  The art for cover for the CD album is the creation of another daughter, Mary Anne Molcan. Another site to access is Ending Domestic Abuse * Mary Anne is a very talented artist.  She has a new web site called Faerie Artist where she displays her Art.   You can access her site at: Faerie Artist